In another life
by beemera
Summary: Itachi/OC: A oneshot of who might have been strong enough to capture Itachi's attentions before he made the ultimate sacrifice. DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO!


**I love Itachi. Nuff said. And everyone was speculating about who his 'lover' was.**

**Well, this is my little take on who might have caught his attention.**

**ONESHOT. Enjoy :)**

**Reviews welcome!**

* * *

He wasn't sure what to make of her at first. She was everything he was not.

He was refined and controlled; she was clumsy and was quick to smile, no matter how small it was.

He was clan heir; she was born to a branch house baker.

He was ninja; she was civilian.

But needless to say, when the light caught her brown eyes and they flashed gold for a moment and they were pointedly staring up at _him_ with mirth, asking if he wanted to play, he felt his lips twitch upwards a little as he said 'no.'

He did, however, grant himself a small, backwards glance as he went to resume his training.

She was interesting.

* * *

He was cradling his baby brother to his chest as a foul miasma fell over the village.

He heard the ungodly roar of a beast and his mind could only scream '_runrunrunRUN!_'

As he was ushered into the safety of the clan shelters he didn't see her, but he didn't panic. He couldn't afford to because Sasuke was whimpering and needed his protection from that vile hatred currently crushing the village walls like they were paper.

He did see her at the mass village funeral, buried into the leg of a stern looking older woman who could only be her grandmother.

He would later see her at the Memorial Stone, small fingers lightly tracing the names of her mother, father, sister and brothers and when she was done, she left with her head held high and lip caught between her teeth so she didn't cry.

He didn't see her at the stone after that.

She was strong.

* * *

He was tired.

He was bone tired and hungry and all he _needed_ was food and sleep, but his expectations demanded he be the best. And so he became the best because that was what was _expected_.

Demanded.

Received, and then surpassed.

He rose rapidly through the ranks, and when one of his missions ran slightly behind, and he was late for his mother's cooking, he saw her. She was helping his aunt and uncle sweep the debris from the front of the bakers shop.

He didn't even know why he stopped and stared, only knew that he felt a jolt of surprise when she looked up and saw him, her eyes that same shade of golden brown he didn't even know he remembered.

And she _smiled _at him.

It was small, and maybe a little telling but she held up a single finger – the universal symbol for 'wait one moment.'

She ducked into the bakers and came out seconds later with a small bento wrapped in brown paper and tied neatly closed with a length of twine. He looked up at her with a sense of confusion, yet his face remained impassive and stoic.

All she did was wink and hold that same beckoning finger to her lips and whispered 'Shh!'

She ducked back inside, and he darted home, leaping effortlessly into his bedroom via the window. The twine slid off, followed by the paper and the lid to reveal four neatly made onigiri.

Wrapped in seaweed.

He carefully inspected one before lifting it to his lips and taking a tentative bite.

He paused slightly before chewing and swallowing.

Itachi thought… he just might have found a private, guilty pleasure.

She was perceptive.

* * *

His arm was stiff and sore from where the enemy nin caught him blindsided with a wayward earth jutsu, but Sasuke wanted to be taller than his aniki. Itachi gingerly adjusted his grip on his little brother's ankles as Sasuke rested atop his shoulders. He was still so small and innocent, full of life and light.

It helped drown out Itachi's darkness, even if doe just a little while.

He saw her at the park, dressed in a simple cotton yukata picking wildflowers away from the other children.

Odd, he thought. She tended to be happier around adults, he noticed, whereas he sometimes secretly craved being a child without such a heavy burden.

Such frivolous thoughts were quickly chased away by an honour bound sense of duty.

He heard Sasuke's shriek and his head whipped around so fast he heard an audible pop, only to release a breath he hadn't realised he held when his dear little otouto was simply playing ninja with a handful of others.

His 'shriek' was supposed to be his battle cry.

Itachi was silent as he made his way towards a shaded bench beneath a blooming sakura tree, keeping one eye on his brother and – oddly enough – another on the young girl humming to herself not too far away.

Gold met endless pits of obsidian for a flicker of a moment, and she smiled that small smile he hoped she saved for him and him alone.

He wondered when he'd gotten so selfish.

He didn't even tense as she skipped over, once neat hair pulling out of a simply yet elegant braid. Wordlessly, she handed him a flower. He took it.

"I think you'd have a nice smile if you tried," she chirped before turning on her heel and calmly walking away, arranging her neat little bunch of flowers as she did so.

If one looked really close, you would see the slightest marring in the crease between Itachi's eyes; he was frowning. But that was in the middle of a harsh tug-of-war with his curling lips.

She puzzled him.

* * *

He was on nightly village patrol when he heard it.

It wasn't the scream of someone being attacked, or the cry of someone in pain.

It was a soft lullaby.

One that tickled at his memory, quickly followed by his curiosity. It was a little out of the way from his general post, but all disturbances needed to be thoroughly checked.

He found her humming quietly to herself, nestled between rose bushes and unstable rocks. He landed soundlessly on a tree branch above, and simply watched. She was a civilian, and completely oblivious to his presence.

"You'll get sick," he said, his voice barely above a murmur. He watched her tense, but she didn't do anything other than crack one eye open…

And _smile_.

"I'll be fine, but thank you for your concern," she replied, and closed her eyes. She sighed in contentment as a small Spring breeze brushed a few stray hairs from her face.

The moon peaked out from the clouds and revealed the sky, drowning them both in the night. He was about to turn and leave when her soft voice gave him pause.

It was full of wistful longing, and it somehow resonated in his chest; a small thrum that sparked to life at her words.

"In another life, I'd own a three bedroom house."  
She didn't elaborate, and she didn't even open her eyes when he flickered away.

She wouldn't sense him leave any way, but Itachi found himself replaying that odd little sentence over and over through the course of the night.

She was strange.

* * *

He heard the lullaby again, and this time she didn't even open her eyes or startle when he landed on the same branch, purposefully shaking it a little to rain a single leaf down towards her. It landed on her thick lashes, and she _smiled_.

When she spoke, her voice was still full of yearning and he briefly wondered what made her feel that way. She was a civilian, and therefore free to marry and do as she pleased.

What made her feel like her options were taken away?

"In another life, I'd own a vegetable garden. Complete with a cabbage patch, and tomato vines."

He stayed for a few lengthy minutes before flickering away.

She was becoming addictive.

* * *

He found her with her golden-brown eyes open, hand raised in the air with her fingers spread as if to paint the night sky and still humming the same lullaby.

A single leaf fell from the branch, this time landing in her hair.

"In another life, I'd own a two cats who would eventually have a small litter of kittens."

He followed her gaze to the sky in time to see a shooting star, and hear her mumble something unintelligible under her breath.

He stayed for as long as necessary before flickering back to his patrol squad.

He gave a curt shake of the head, letting them know he'd found nothing out of the ordinary.

He returned to his duties, and performed splendidly.

But she was still addictive.

* * *

She wasn't humming one night, and her private spot was vacant.

She'd taken a tumble off a step ladder at the bakers shop and had to stay home.

He was slightly surprised to find himself disappointed.

* * *

He was in the market place, gathering some vegetables for his mother with Sasuke at his side when he saw her. She was limping, but other than that she still radiated a certain _something_, even from across the way.

Curious, he mused, how she seemed to sense his gaze because she turned towards him, and gold sparkled as they met black. She gave him _his_ smile before paying the fruit vendor and shuffling away.

Sasuke impatiently tugged at his pant leg, wanting to get home to spend some more bonding time with his aniki. Itachi glanced down at his otouto and his usually impassive eyes softened.

He nodded, and allowed himself a smirk as Sasuke whooped before dashing off towards a stand that selled ripe, juicy tomatoes.

He only caught a glimpse of her turning the corner of the compound – presumably towards her own dwelling – as he escorted his otouto home.

His father was waiting for him, his expression stern and Sasuke glanced between them before pouting. Itachi poked his little brothers forehead before apologises, promising a next time as he followed his tou-san into the study.

* * *

ANBU was stressful, but his _duty_ demanded he be the best. He was trusted, and he was respected.

But he didn't feel _normal_.

He was masked when he heard the painfully familiar lullaby and his heart rate quickened a little as he landed of the branch above her. Two leaves fell this time, one landing next to her limp hand, and the other on her obi.

She smiled, and he felt a little bit of the stress melt away.

Puzzling.

"In another life, I'd do the housework while listening to the radio."

He left her alone once more, and that night he dreamt of another life where he danced with a faceless partner across the kitchen floor.

She was affecting him.

* * *

The clan was whispering amongst themselves about performing a coup d'état. Itachi was the pipe between the clan and the village, and was tasked to do what he did best; be the perfect shinobi.

His little brother remained completely oblivious, happily playing with a few classmates in the park as he watched on. These types of days were becoming more rare, and he couldn't help but feel like time was running out.

She approached him at the bench, flowerless, but sat on the opposite side of him. Her posture was dainty and well-practiced; it spoke of extensive lessons.

His posture was much the same, save for the tension in his shoulder; it spoke mildly of stress and coiled muscle ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

She let out a soft giggle as she watched one of Sasuke's classmate dramatically die with an imaginary kunai through his heart. Morbidly, poetically innocent.

"He is your otouto, yes?" she asked, gesturing towards Sasuke.

He gave a slight nod, and she smiled a small smile.

His smile.

His tension drifted away, only to return as she stood and left the park without a word.

She did, however, glance back for a moment.

For some reason, that made Itachi's heart flutter.

She was a drug, and he was already hooked.

* * *

The hum was back, but when he landed on the branch above her he couldn't help but feel the overwhelming sense of guilt and horror at the thought of what he had to do in mere days time.

Three leaves fell.

One landing softly on her wrist, another beside her mass of midnight curls…

And the last on her pink lips.

She was smiling slightly beneath the greenery. _His _smile.

And he couldn't help but feel selfish and overwhelmed as his body moved on its own to lean down and remove the leaf to capture her lips in a soft, tentative kiss.

He was hidden amongst the trees when her eyes blinked open, the slightest pink hue dusting her cheeks. She smiled and raised a hand, this time trying to grasp the waxing moon in her palm.

"In another life, everything would be perfect…"  
He couldn't help but feel she left that sentence incomplete.

* * *

She came home to bloodshed and the stench of death. She came home to the sight of him, ANBU armour streaked with crimson and katana dripping with liquid life on her living room floor.

He was silent, and still, and deadly.

But she didn't scream. She didn't react much at all. She simply placed her bag of groceries on the counter and moved forward – _towards_ him – and stopped a stab-length away.

And she _smiled_.

In that instant, Itachi knew. She never expected him to choose her over his duties. She never expected much of anything from him. She simply let him be.

And that was why his chest hurt because he _loved_ her, but he loved his otouto even more.

"In another life," she whispered, taking a step towards him, "everything would be perfect, because I'd be with you."

His hands shook when she closed her eyes and he plunged the sword through the heart she had just given him.

He waited until she fell before turning on his heel and leaving her behind.

He had a duty to perform and expectations to meet, after all.


End file.
